Method of cultivating soil and cultivator



m. 22, 1929. 5. H. BRUNDKGE I METHOD OF GULTIVATING SOIL AND-GULTIVATOR Filed May 20,. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet IAZNTOR.

OOOOOOOO SHMUEL HARR esaw BRUNDIGE A TTORNEYS.

mm 22, mm

2 5'. H. BWUNDHTMEZ' METHOD OF CULTIVATING SOIL AND CULTIVATOR Filed May 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. SFWUEL HARRISON Bczuuuma.

Patented on. 22, 1929 1,732,496

" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL HARRISON BRUNDIGE, OF SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA METHOD OF CULTIVATING SOIL AND cUL'rIvA'ToB Application filed May 1925. Serial No. 3 1,599.

My invention comprises a method of cultioperate the drive connection from the engine rating soil and a cultivator to be utilized to the wheels. 7 therefor. An object of my invention is to My invention will be more readily undermove slowly over the ground a cultivator stood from the following description and a having a series of cultivating tools or 'impledrawings in which merits, the implements being attached to F igurelisa side elevation of m cultivator arms and having a somewhat rotary motion In the direction of the arrow 1 of igure 2. to lift the tools forward over the soil and gllre 2 is a plan View in the direction of. draw them backward through the soil, therehe arrow 2 of Figure 1. I M) by ultivating the soil in arious Ways ac- F gure 3 l8 8. VhltiCiLlCIOSS-SGCtiOIl 0f the cording to the type of implements u ed, cultivatorpn the lmes 3-3 of Figures 1 and My cultivator comprises a platform or 21H the dII'eCtlOIl the arrows, showing in frame mounted on wheels, having an engine Partlcular the gulde bracket for the Cultithereon. A frame extends forward from Vatol' 15 the platform and forms at the end thereof an Figure 4 is a longitudinal detail Of 0119 Of adjustable bearing for a series of cultivator the cultlvator arms Showmg a detachable arms. The inner ends of these arms are conm nected to a crank which is driven by the en- Flgm'e 5 a fI'0I1t and slde elevatlon of an gine and the outer ends have attached there- Implement 511111131 to a hoe.

to various cultivating implements as required Figure is a P View of another yp of for the different type of work. The inner Implement the l of a m l P 12 ends of the arms have a circular motion on acl 7 1S .partlal p131} to Flgtlre count of their connection with the crank, and Showm a P3 of extenslon guldes 9 11ftthe implements would likewise partake of a mg oldmg row of plants whlle the circular motion were they elevated above the cultivator Operates on t q soil. The implements, however; on striking F t' 8 1S a.cmss'sectlon slmllar to mg the soil are prevented from following a true we lnustmtmg the arrangement of the circular motion and have a dragging action cultlvator arms through the guide bracket bethrough the soil, and as they are pulled out twain lowerfmd upper 30 at the end of the stroke. are elevated and car- Flgllre 9 dlagrammatlc longlttldmal ried forward in asubstantially circular move- Y luustmtmg the Path of culilvator ment' The cultivating action. is to rapidly implement and the manner of cultlvatlng the draw the cultivators through the soil and" as 9 the series of implements follow in succession Refernllg p r y g 1 and 3 parallel and Overlapping lines, the soil is 2 the cultlvator as a whole is designated by turned from side to side as well as being dug. h numeral and constructed wlth The implements tend to drag the carriage havmg dnye'wheels 3 and forward and this action may be prevented by g The carnage. S an engine utilizing a brake on the wheels or preferably pre embly 9 the mtemal c9mbustmn having the wheels geared to the engine by a i' s lfmplemeilt'supportmg i .worm gear so that the worm gear itself and l h :23? 3 3 y from-ghebcarrmge the connection to the engine retards the ear through 3:2 r fi f or sfgg g nage' d l comtectmn to h engltle having attached thereto cultivating imple 45 may be utilized in moving the cultivator 1n mnts 9 The inner ends 100i the cultt its work and from one place to another. The arms connected to a crank 1 Su as;

machine is guided by an p p grasping in journals 12 attached to the time handles at the rear of the cultlvator from T mission gearing 13, designating t e which posltlon he may control the engine and transmi ion as a whol d i th k 0 change the speed of the cultivators as well as from the engine. A second ton 14 is connected from the engine to the main wheels 3.

A handle 15 is secured to the carriage and is adapted to be grasped by the operator in mission and to the wheel transmission 13 and I 14. It will be understood that suitable engine control devices are installed on the handles or convenient to the operator to govern the engine, such as a throttle and spark manipulating device.

The cultivating mechanism in detail is as follows, having reference particularly to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4: The platform 6 preferably comprises a pair of channel bars 18 having a series of apertures 19 therethrough. The guide bracket 7 has a pair of downwardly extending yokes 20, fitting over the channels and adapted to be secured in different positions by bolts 21 through the yokes and the apertures in the channels. A series of slots 22, extending vertically, have at their lower ends anti-friction rollers 23, upon whichthe cultivator arms 8 may slide. A cross-bar 24 extends across the top of the slots and is bolted to the main portion of the bracket, and has .attached thereto a series of resiliently pressed upper rollers 40 to be hereinafter described or springs 25 bearing on the upper surface of the cultivator arms. As above mentioned the inner ends 10 of the arms are secured to the crank shaft 11 by clamping bolts 26 or other suitable arrangement.

The various cultivating implements are preferably detachable from the cultivator arms. As shown in'Figure 4, a screw-threadedstud 27 projects from the end of each arm to which may be attached a cultivating implement 28, by means of a nut 29. In order to give the implements a different position it is desirable to have a series of insertable washers 30 to clamp on the screw-threaded studs between the implements and the nuts of the arms. These have beveled faces 31 and 32 to give a different inclination to the implements. A plough-like implement is indicated by 33 in Figure 6, and is mounted with the point 34 facing the machine and clamped by a stud inserted through the hole 35.

The cultivator when operating in a field of crops growing in rows, may have attached to the sides thereof, a pair of guides 36 secured to the channels 18 by bolts or the like. These are curved inwardly at the outer end 37 to brush the plants aside, (see Figure 2). In Figure 7 the guides 38 are reversed and may be bolted to the bottom of the brackets 7. For cultivating on both sides of a row of growing crops the center cultivator arms would be removed so that the outside arms will cultivate close to the plants which are held upwardly by the guides.

It is manifest that the same guide members as used in Figures 1 and 2 could be utilized in Figure 7, or special guides could be made. In Figure 8, the construction of the upper rollers for the cultivator arms to reduce the friction is shown. The bracket 7 would be substantially the same as shown in Figure 3 and have lower rollers 23 below the arms 8 and a series of upper rollers 40. Both sets of rollers are illustrated with axles 41 fitting in bearing blocks 42. These may be inserted in channels 43 in the bracket. A space block 44 is placed between the upper and lower bearing blocks and is preferably the same height as the cultivator arms. A series of coiled springs 45, having adjusting screws 46 through the cross-bar 24, give the desired pressure on the upper roller and hence on the cultivator bars. It is manifest that by varying this pressure the cultivator implements may be made to operate at different depths in the soil.

The transmission gearing 13 comprises a pair of sprocket gears 50, which by means of the clutch 51, operated by the handle 16, may be thrown in and out of'connection with the engine. These gears, through the medium of chains 52, drive large sprocket gears 53 of two different sizes, whereby variable speed may be obtained for revolving the crank shaft 11. The transmission 14 from the engine to the main wheels comprises a sprocket wheel 54, connected by a clutch 55 operated by the handle 17 to the engine shaft. By means of the sprocket chains 56, the drive is carried to a lower gear 57 and thence by suitable gearing and shaft 58 to the worm transmission 59, driving the main wheels. Any suitable type of gearing may be utilized for transmitting the engine motion from the engine shaft to the crank shaft 11 and to the main wheels. In ordinary operation in cultivation the engine is not needed to move the cultivator as the cultivating arms tend to pull it over the ground. The connection with the engine is mainly to retard the cultivator so that it will not cause undue wear on the brackets.

The method ofcultivation may be stated as follows :The engine operating the cultivator arms causes them to reach forward, strike the ground and be forced therein according to the tension on the springs, thence pulled backwards towards the machine and lifted out of the soil. The implements, on first contact with the soil, are not forced therein fully, but on the drag towards the machine are forced deeper in the soil and then gradually pulled out. In this action, in most soils where the implements can secure suflicient grip, they draw the carriage with the engine after them, it being necessary, as abovedescribed, to retard the carriage by up plying brakes or by the worm or other retarding gearing to the engine. The machine will preferably operate at a high speed so that the succession of tools in reaching for- Ward and overlapping each other, the successive stroke of each implement extending beyond the prior strokes, causes a thorough pulverization of the soil and the incorporation of a considerable body of air in intimate relation with the soil. By use of a ploughshaped device, as shown in Figure 6, the small furrows being formed will turn the soil over into the adjacent furrows and thus from side to side in succession,

It is manifest that my invention may be considerably modified to suit special circumstances, for instance, the machine may be made quite small for garden, vineyard or orchard work and also may be made in large sizes for the cultivation of large fields. The type of tools and the particular drive may also be changed.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device of the type described, a supporting frame, a crank-shaft rotatably secured therein, longitudinally disposed cultivator arms pivotally secured to said crankshaft; arm guiding brackets slidable on said frame, means for securing the guiding brackets in an adjusted position spaced from said crankshaft; spring pressed. rollers carried by said guiding brackets for yieldingly engaging with the upper side of said cultivator arms, and roller members engaging the lower side of said arms.

2. In a device of the type described, a frame movable over the ground, a crankshaft rotatably secured in said frame, longitudinally disposed cultivator arms pivotally secured to said crankshaft; arm guiding means mounted on the frame and being adjustable towards and away from said crankshaft, said members yieldably pressing upon said arms and a lower member rigidly supported on the guiding means consisting of'upper and lower rollers, the upper rollers being yieldable, and means mounted on the frame to operate said crankshaft.

3, In a cultivator, a frame, a crankshaft rotatablymounted thereon, longitudinally extending cultivator arms pivotally secured to said crankshaft 5 guiding means for said cultivator arms, said guiding means being disposed on said frame below the level of said crankshaft and being s aced therefrom, said guiding means being a justable towards and awayfroin said crankshaft thereby regulating the movement of said arms.

4. In a cultivator, a frame, a crankshaft rotatably mounted thereon, longitudinally extending cultivator arms pivotally secured to said crankshaft; guiding means mounted on said frame below the level of said crankshaft and spaced therefr0m, said guiding means being adjustable towards and away from said crankshaft and consisting of upper 

